安徒生童话-第28章

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〃Good　morning；〃　said　he　to　Little　Claus；　〃you　are　e　betimesto…day。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃I　am　going　to　the　town　with　my　oldgrandmother；　she　is　sitting　at　the　back　of　the　wagon；　but　I　cannotbring　her　into　the　room。　Will　you　take　her　a　glass　of　mead？　but　youmust　speak　very　loud；　for　she　cannot　hear　well。〃

〃Yes；　certainly　I　will；〃　replied　the　landlord；　and；　pouring　outa　glass　of　mead；　he　carried　it　out　to　the　dead　grandmother；　who　satupright　in　the　cart。　〃Here　is　a　glass　of　mead　from　your　grandson；〃said　the　landlord。　The　dead　woman　did　not　answer　a　word；　but　sat　quitestill。　〃Do　you　not　hear？〃　cried　the　landlord　as　loud　as　he　could；〃here　is　a　glass　of　mead　from　your　grandson。〃

Again　and　again　he　bawled　it　out；　but　as　she　did　not　stir　heflew　into　a　passion；　and　threw　the　glass　of　mead　in　her　face；　itstruck　her　on　the　nose；　and　she　fell　backwards　out　of　the　cart；　forshe　was　only　seated　there；　not　tied　in。

Hallo！〃　cried　Little　Claus；　rushing　out　of　the　door；　and　seizinghold　of　the　landlord　by　the　throat；　〃you　have　killed　my　grandmother；see；　here　is　a　great　hole　in　her　forehead。〃

〃Oh；　how　unfortunate；〃　said　the　landlord；　wringing　his　hands。〃This　all　es　of　my　fiery　temper。　Dear　Little　Claus；　I　will　give　youa　bushel　of　money；　I　will　bury　your　grandmother　as　if　she　were　my　own；only　keep　silent；　or　else　they　will　cut　off　my　head；　and　that　would　bedisagreeable。〃

So　it　happened　that　Little　Claus　received　another　bushel　of　money；and　the　landlord　buried　his　old　grandmother　as　if　she　had　been　hisown。　When　Little　Claus　reached　home　again；　he　immediately　sent　a　boyto　Great　Claus；　requesting　him　to　lend　him　a　bushel　measure。　〃How　isthis？〃　thought　Great　Claus；　〃did　I　not　kill　him？　I　must　go　and　see　formyself。〃　So　he　went　to　Little　Claus；　and　took　the　bushel　measurewith　him。　〃How　did　you　get　all　this　money？〃　asked　Great　Claus；　staringwith　wide　open　eyes　at　his　neighbor's　treasures。

〃You　killed　my　grandmother　instead　of　me；〃　said　Little　Claus；〃so　I　have　sold　her　for　a　bushel　of　money。〃

〃That　is　a　good　price　at　all　events；〃　said　Great　Claus。　So　he　wenthome；　took　a　hatchet；　and　killed　his　old　grandmother　with　one　blow。Then　he　placed　her　on　a　cart；　and　drove　into　the　town　to　theapothecary；　and　asked　him　if　he　would　buy　a　dead　body。

〃Whose　is　it；　and　where　did　you　get　it？〃　asked　the　apothecary。

〃It　is　my　grandmother；〃　he　replied；　〃I　killed　her　with　a　blow；that　I　might　get　a　bushel　of　money　for　her。〃

〃Heaven　preserve　us！〃　cried　the　apothecary；　〃you　are　out　of　yourmind。　Don't　say　such　things；　or　you　will　lose　your　head。〃　And　thenhe　talked　to　him　seriously　about　the　wicked　deed　he　had　done；　and　toldhim　that　such　a　wicked　man　would　surely　be　punished。　Great　Claus　gotso　frightened　that　he　rushed　out　of　the　surgery；　jumped　into　the　cart；whipped　up　his　horses；　and　drove　home　quickly。　The　apothecary　andall　the　people　thought　him　mad；　and　let　him　drive　where　he　liked。

〃You　shall　pay　for　this；〃　said　Great　Claus；　as　soon　as　he　got　intothe　highroad；　〃that　you　shall；　Little　Claus。〃　So　as　soon　as　he　reachedhome　he　took　the　largest　sack　he　could　find　and　went　over　to　LittleClaus。　〃You　have　played　me　another　trick；〃　said　he。　〃First；　I　killedall　my　horses；　and　then　my　old　grandmother；　and　it　is　all　yourfault；　but　you　shall　not　make　a　fool　of　me　any　more。〃　So　he　laidhold　of　Little　Claus　round　the　body；　and　pushed　him　into　the　sack；which　he　took　on　his　shoulders；　saying；　〃Now　I'm　going　to　drown　you　inthe　river。

He　had　a　long　way　to　go　before　he　reached　the　river；　and　LittleClaus　was　not　a　very　light　weight　to　carry。　The　road　led　by　thechurch；　and　as　they　passed　he　could　hear　the　organ　playing　and　thepeople　singing　beautifully。　Great　Claus　put　down　the　sack　close　to　thechurch…door；　and　thought　he　might　as　well　go　in　and　hear　a　psalmbefore　he　went　any　farther。　Little　Claus　could　not　possibly　get　out　ofthe　sack；　and　all　the　people　were　in　church；　so　in　he　went。

〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear；〃　sighed　Little　Claus　in　the　sack；　as　heturned　and　twisted　about；　but　he　found　he　could　not　loosen　thestring　with　which　it　was　tied。　Presently　an　old　cattle　driver；　withsnowy　hair；　passed　by；　carrying　a　large　staff　in　his　hand；　withwhich　he　drove　a　large　herd　of　cows　and　oxen　before　him。　They　stumbledagainst　the　sack　in　which　lay　Little　Claus；　and　turned　it　over。　〃Ohdear；〃　sighed　Little　Claus；　〃I　am　very　young；　yet　I　am　soon　going　toheaven。〃

〃And　I；　poor　fellow；〃　said　the　drover；　〃I　who　am　so　old　already；cannot　get　there。〃

〃Open　the　sack；〃　cried　Little　Claus；　〃creep　into　it　instead　of　me；and　you　will　soon　be　there。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　replied　the　drover；　opening　the　sack；　fromwhich　sprung　Little　Claus　as　quickly　as　possible。　〃Will　you　takecare　of　my　cattle？〃　said　the　old　man；　as　he　crept　into　the　bag。

〃Yes；〃　said　Little　Claus；　and　he　tied　up　the　sack；　and　then　walkedoff　with　all　the　cows　and　oxen。

When　Great　Claus　came　out　of　church；　he　took　up　the　sack；　andplaced　it　on　his　shoulders。　It　appeared　to　have　bee　lighter；　forthe　old　drover　was　not　half　so　heavy　as　Little　Claus。

〃How　light　he　seems　now；〃　said　he。　〃Ah；　it　is　because　I　havebeen　to　a　church。〃　So　he　walked　on　to　the　river；　which　was　deep　andbroad；　and　threw　the　sack　containing　the　old　drover　into　the　water；believing　it　to　be　Little　Claus。　〃There　you　may　lie！〃　he　exclaimed；〃you　will　play　me　no　more　tricks　now。〃　Then　he　turned　to　go　home；but　when　he　came　to　a　place　where　two　roads　crossed；　there　wasLittle　Claus　driving　the　cattle。　〃How　is　this？〃　said　Great　Claus。　〃DidI　not　drown　you　just　now？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃you　threw　me　into　the　river　abouthalf　an　hour　ago。〃

〃But　wherever　did　you　get　all　these　fine　beasts？〃　asked　GreatClaus。

〃These　beasts　are　sea…cattle；〃　replied　Little　Claus。　〃I'll　tellyou　the　whole　story；　and　thank　you　for　drowning　me；　I　am　above　younow；　I　am　really　very　rich。　I　was　frightened；　to　be　sure；　while　Ilay　tied　up　in　the　sack；　and　the　wind　whistled　in　my　ears　when　youthrew　me　into　the　river　from　the　bridge；　and　I　sank　to　the　bottomimmediately；　but　I　did　not　hurt　myself；　for　I　fell　upon　beautifullysoft　grass　which　grows　down　there；　and　in　a　moment；　the　sack　opened；and　the　sweetest　little　maiden　came　towards　me。　She　had　snow…whiterobes；　and　a　wreath　of　green　leaves　on　her　wet　hair。　She　took　me　bythe　hand；　and　said；　'So　you　are　e；　Little　Claus；　and　here　aresome　cattle　for　you　to　begin　with。　About　a　mile　farther　on　the　road；there　is　another　herd　for　you。'　Then　I　saw　that　the　river　formed　agreat　highway　for　the　people　who　live　in　the　sea。　They　were　walkingand　driving　here　and　there　from　the　sea　to　the　land　at　the；　spot　wherethe　river　terminates。　The　bed　of　the　river　was　covered　with　theloveliest　flowers　and　sweet　fresh　grass。　The　fish　swam　past　me　asrapidly　as　the　birds　do　here　in　the　air。　How　handsome　all　the　peoplewere；　and　what　fine　cattle　were　grazing　on　the　hills　and　in　thevalleys！〃

〃But　why　did　you　e　up　again；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃if　it　wasall　so　beautiful　down　there？　I　should　not　have　done　so？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃it　was　good　policy　on　my　part；　youheard　me　say　just　now　that　I　was　told　by　the　sea…maiden　to　go　a　milefarther　on　the　road；　and　I　should　find　a　whole　herd　of　cattle。　Bythe　road　she　meant　the　river；　for　she　could　not　travel　any　otherway；　but　I　knew　the　winding　of　the　river；　and　how　it　bends；sometimes　to　the　right　and　sometimes　to　the　left；　and　it　seemed　a　longway；　so　I　chose　a　shorter　one；　and；　by　ing　up　to　the　land；　and　thendriving　across　the　fields　back　again　to　the　river；　I　shall　save　half　amile；　and　get　all　my　cattle　more　quickly。〃

〃What　a　lucky　fellow　you　are！〃　exclaimed　Great　Claus。　〃Do　youthink　I　should　get　any　sea…cattle　if　I　went　down　to　the　bottom　ofthe　river？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃but　I　cannot　carry　youthere　in　a　sack；　you　are　too　heavy。　However　if　you　will　go　therefirst；　and　then　creep　into　a　sack；　I　will　throw　you　in　with　thegreatest　pleasure。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃but　remember；　if　I　do　not　getany　sea…cattle　down　there　I　shall　e　up　again　and　give　you　a　goodthrashing。〃

〃No；　now；　don't　be　too　fierce　about　it！〃　said　Little　Claus；　asthey　walked　on　towards　the　river。　When　they　approached　it；　the　cattle；who　were　very　thirsty；　saw　the　stream；　and　ran　down　to　drink。

〃See　what　a　hurry　they　are　in；〃　said　Little　Claus；　〃they　arelonging　to　get　down　again；〃

〃e；　help　me；　make　haste；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃or　you'll　getbeaten。〃　So　he　crept　into　a　large　sack；　which　had　been　lying　acrossthe　back　of　one　of　the　oxen。

〃Put　in　a　stone；〃　said　Great　Claus；　〃or　I　may　not　sink。〃

〃Oh；　there's　not　much　fear　of　that；〃　he　replied；　still　he　put　alarge　stone　into　the　bag；　and　then　tied　it　tightly；　and　gave　it　apush。

〃Plump！〃　In　went　Great　Claus；　and　immediately　sank　to　the　bottomof　the　river。

〃I'm　afraid　he　will　not　find　any　cattle；〃　said　Little　Claus；　andthen　he　drove　his　own　beasts　homewards。

THE　END。

　　1872

　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　LITTLE　IDA'S　FLOWERS

　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen

〃My　poor　flowers　are　quite　dead；〃　said　little　Ida；　〃they　were　sopretty　yesterday　evening；　and　now　all　the　leaves　are　hanging　downquite　withered。　What　do　they　do　that　for；〃　she　asked；　of　the　studentwho　sat　on　the　sofa；　she　liked　him　very　much；　he　could　tell　the　mostamusing　stories